Alexander Harris (1834 - 1889)

Born 25 Mar 1834 in Lebanon, Wilson Co; Tennessee, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Harriet Ann (Craner) Harris — married 21 Jun 1855 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co; Utah, USA

Husband of Martha (Craner) Harris — married 17 Jun 1875 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co; Utah, USA

Descendants

Died 20 Feb 1889 at age 54 in Richmond, Cache County, Utah, USA

Biography

Traveled with the

Brigham Young Company

Departed From

Winter Quarters, NE

in June 1848

Age at Departure

14

Traveled for

107

Days

Traveled with a wagon company

family history note

Note LIFESKETCH OF ALEXANDER HARRIS, SR.

Contributed By: Carol Y Williams · 17 June 2013 ·

Alexander Harris, Sr., was born on 25 March 1834 in Wilson County,Tennessee. He was the son of McGee Harris and Mary Polly Givens of Kentucky.His father was born near Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee. Alexander Harris,Sr., was married to Harriet Ann Craner in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 21 Jun 1855by Daniel H. Wells. They were sealed 6 June 1856 by Heber C. Kimball. TheHarris family owned a large plantation in Tennessee with many Negro slaves andwhen the family moved to Utah, the slaves wanted to come with them because theyloved them so much. His father (McGee Harris) with his family of six or sevenchildren born in and around Lebanon and Nashville, Tennessee, crossed theplains in 1848 in Captain Kimball’s Company. As the family moved West, theymust have settled in Nauvoo as it was told that McGee lived in the home of theProphet for some time. Alexander was but a lad when his parents moved fromTennessee to Marion, Williamson country, Illinois. His parents were convertedto the Church while residing at Marion. They moved to Winter Quarters,Nebraska, in the summer of 1846 and began their westward trek in May 1848. Theyarrived in the Salt Lake Valley in September. They settled for a short time inSalt Lake City, then in Farmington and later in Fort Herriman. Alexander wasfourteen years of age when they crossed the plains in 1848. As a young boy heherded cows in Salt Lake. There were not many fences, times were hard, and foodwas scarce so he took a sharp stick and dug Sego Lilies for his noon meal.Later he was one of the men that Brigham Young sent back to Winter Quarters tohelp bring in the handcart companies stranded in the snow in Wyoming. He took awagon through snow and storm to rescue those who were sick and dying withcholera, the provisions they were able to get to the company saved many lives.He was also at the massacre of “Battle Creek” between the Indians and thewhites near Preston, Idaho. After all the Indians were killed by soldiersexcept a very few, he helped bring in the wounded soldiers. A few years laterhe and his son, Alexander, Jr., ran freight wagons from Corine to Butte,Montana. They each had two wagons, one trailed behind the other, with sixteenhead of mules to each train. This was a strenuous trip over rocks and creeks.There were no roads. At that time there were many Indians and outlaws roaming thecountry, and they were always on the alert. It was while on one of these tripsaway from home that his devoted wife, Harriet Ann Craner, passed away. Therewere no telephones and only the Pony Express to carry the news. He was verymuch grieved when he received the sad news that she had passed away on the 15thof September 1874, at Richmond, Utah. In 1858 he moved to Springville, Utah andthen to Richmond, Utah in 1860. He was a colonizer and one of the earlysettlers in Richmond. The family home was where their second child, HarrietAnn, was born in 1858. Their third child, Mary Elizabeth Harris was born inSpringville 31 December 1859. As far as we can find, the remainder of HarrietAnn Craner’s children were born in Richmond, Utah. Alexander then moved in 1874to Gentile Valley, now called Thatcher, Idaho. In 1875 he married his wife’swidowed sister, Martha Craner. Alexander had ten children by his first wife;Martha had four children by her deceased husband, George Tanner. Alexander andMartha had six children of their own. They settled at Mound Valley. Alexanderhad a large herd of cattle. The cattle were grazed at Grey’s Lake in the summerwhere Alexander had a large ranch. Alexander was a successful rancher and akind and loving father. His death came very suddenly on 20 February 1889 at theage of fifty-four years and eleven months. He had been out with his boys anhour before his death. He died at the old home in Gentile Valley and was buriedin Richmond, Utah. Funeral services were held in the meeting house there on 24February 1889. Consoling remarks were given by Bishop Lewis, an old friend ofthe family, and by President Merrill and Soloman H. Hale. A very large cortegefollowed the remains to the cemetery where he was buried by the side of his wife,Harriet Ann, who preceded him in death by fourteen years. He was a firmbeliever in the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Alexander Harriswas a brother of Martha Harris Wells, the mother of Governor Heber M. Wells,the first governor of the State of Utah. His wife, Harriet Ann Craner, was thedaughter of George Benjamin Craner and Elizabeth West. She was born inMaxstoke, Warwick, England, 26 April 1835. At the age of 14 years she had madeenough money to pay her way to America. She was a loving mother and immaculatehousekeeper. Sources: After much thought and research, this story was writtenfor Alexander’s granddaughter, Eunice Christensen Van Slooten, of Los Angeles,California to give for a D.U.P. Camp Meeting in 1949 of her ancestor who cameto Utah before 1869. Sarah Emeline Harris Mickelson, oldest daughter ofAlexander Harris Jr., also furnished information along with the news clippingfrom the Salt Lake Deseret News. OBITUARY FROM THE DESERET NEWS, February 1889Alexander Harris died at his home in Gentile Valley, Bingham County, Idaho,February 20, 1889 Alexander Harris Senior, ago fifty-four years and elevenmonths. The deceased was the son of McGee Harris and Mary Polly Givens, and abrother of Martha G. Wells of this city. The death was very sudden, he havingbeen out with the boys shooting at a mark an hour before his death. The bodywas conveyed to Richmond, Cache Country, Utah of which he was one of theearliest settlers. The funeral was held in the meeting house there on Sunday,February the 24th, 1889. Consoling addresses were made by Bishop Lewis, an oldtime friend of the family, and by President Merrill and Soloman Hale. A verylarge cortege followed his remains to the Richmond Cemetery where he was buriedby the side of his wife, Harriet Ann Craner, who preceded him in death byfourteen years. The decreased was a firm believer in the Church of Jesus Christof Latter-Day Saints. He leaves a wife and sixteen children.

Modified 10 January 2017 by Silvers-Patty

Source

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 July 2018), memorial page for Alexander Harris (25 Mar 1834–20 Feb 1889), Find A Grave Memorial no. 59749763, citing Richmond City Cemetery, Richmond, Cache County, Utah, USA ; Maintained by Wes & Debi Grossnickle (contributor 46836898) .

History of Alexander Harris Sr. A history of Alexander Harris Sr. and Harriet Ann Craner can be found in the 2001 book, "The Ancestors of Michael Mickelson and Sarah Emeline Harris", which has been made into a digital book by the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is available for free online viewing. Also, this book is available on microfilm at the FHL (FHL US/CAN Film # 1440477, Item #10).